Two generations. One powerful surname. And a story that goes far beyond the movies. Suniel Shetty— one of Hindi cinema’s original action heroes, known for his discipline, grit and integrity, and Ahan Shetty — a bright, young actor finding his voice in an industry driven by clicks, commentary and constant comparison. Our next guests on the Bombay Times Lounge are the father–son duo, sitting down for a rare, unfiltered conversation — moving from Border to Border 2, from fame to family, from nepotism to self-belief. This isn’t just about a surname. It’s about the family behind it and the bonds that tie them. The promo drops today. Here’s a sneak peek into the conversation. Watch out for the full episode coming soon on the Bombay Times YouTube channel.

“We always want our kids to be happy, and I am not talking about success. I’m scared of failure in the industry and not of success. In other fields, when you fall, you get up and start walking. Here, when you fall, the world looks at you, and they make you feel that you’re nothing. People feel that Hindi film actors are illiterate; they don’t know anything. We know a lot and we are smart. In today’s times, failure is sometimes more celebrated than success. It’s a fact.”

“Today, people just react to what they see in a 2-3 second clip. That’s what’s happening in my generation. We’re being put up against each other. I know there are comparisons between Ahaan Panday and me. I know that guy. I know how hard he’s worked for his film and everything that he’s done to prepare for it. There’s no competition between us. We have our own careers. There is so much love and respect amongst each other and that is what needs to come out. We’re all one industry. Social media has created a divide and that’s why you don’t see so much support for one another.”

“Has anybody seen the film (Border 2)? Nobody has seen the film. We’ve seen glimpses of the film. Varun Dhawan will kill it in the film, he’s outstanding. Varun is not playing himself; he is playing a decorated officer who’s given his life for the country. So, I think we should think a little bit before we go out there and say these things. Today, it’s very easy to trash someone and run them down.”

Talking about self-belief and dignity, Suniel says, "I am who I am, but my attitude depends on who you are. You treat me right, and I treat you like a god and a goddess. If you don’t, then you don’t even exist for me in a room. And that’s my approach to everything today. That’s the confidence I go with. I tell everybody that all of you have that in you. Bring out the ‘X’ factor in you and see the difference."

“It’s been a long journey since Tadap came out in 2021. It’s definitely not been easy. I mean, the whole nepotism debate comes up a lot. I’ve always accepted it. My father is an actor, and I wanted to be an actor. I think it is important to stay focused on what you want to do and not let the noise around you affect you too much. I focus on giving my director and producer my 200 per cent.”

“I’m very close to a lot of the actors in the industry. But at the same time, it’s not that I socialise with them. That respect is there from a work perspective and for the kind of individual that they are. If you tell me that ‘X’ is not a good person, that means nothing to me. It is my judgment of the person that matters. I don’t judge; we never judge. At home, we don’t talk about careers at all, we talk about character. It is about how you behave, whether it is Rahul, Athiya or Ahan.”

“Right now, our world and all our conversations at home revolve around Evaarah (Athiya’s daughter). She’s brought us closer and we even went on a family trip together after 15 years. Dad’s mornings begin with Evaarah – playing with her, feeding her. In the evening, all of us get together at home with her. It’s all about her.”

Ask Ahan which films of his father’s he would want to be a part of, and he says, "I’d love to be a part of Hera Pheri, I love that franchise. Fortunately, I am part of Border 2, which was one of dad’s films that I have always been inspired by."

After more than three decades in showbiz, Suniel Shetty is enjoying a second wind — on-screen success on one side and a brand-new role as a grandfather on the other. His career is soaring, his home is fuller, and life, he admits, has never felt richer. When his daughter Athiya married cricketer K L Rahul, he gained not just a son-in-law but “another son” alongside Ahan. Yet, fatherhood — and now grandfatherhood — comes with its own share of worries.

Earlier, he worried about Athiya and Ahan; now it is about Rahul getting trolled — especially after India’s disappointing loss to South Africa in the recent Test series. Rahul has now been chosen to lead India in the ODI series against South Africa.

“Initially I used to get deeply hurt, perhaps more than my children. They would tell me to remain calm and not feel bad. Today, I have realised it is all a part of a celebrity’s life, so it doesn’t affect me as much anymore,” shares Suniel, admitting that he still does not watch his son-in-law play. “There is too much stress involved.”

Though films and cricket usually dominate the public perception of their lives, at home the conversation rarely touches either. “We influence billions of people; [it is] a blessed position, hence important for us to behave right. Rahul is calm, respectful, and all about empathy, he adds strength to [the family]. Ahan and he are best friends [before being] brothers. His influence is stronger on them,” he says.

Becoming a grandfather to eight-month-old Evaara — born to Rahul and Athiya in March this year — has been “ten times more blissful”. He is ready to turn into a camel, horse, sheep, or even a fish for the little one. “There is nothing else that I want to do but be around her. I am willing to do everything for Evaara. She has a bit of Rahul, Ahan, and Athiya in her. Evaara has a birthday celebration every month on the 24th with cake and everything,” Suniel gushes.

Suniel Shetty is thrilled that his son Ahan has taken the mantle from him by featuring in ‘Border 2’, and “has finally found his mojo”. “It is the most beautiful feeling for me. Ahan is confident; I see absolute joy and pleasure on his face. Success and failure come, but to see that happiness on his face as a father is a different joy. It’s the only thing that I have ever wanted,” he says, beaming with pride.

The Shetty household is brimming with excitement this festive season as it marks a very special milestone — the family’s first Diwali with its youngest member, cricketer K L Rahul and actor Athiya Shetty’s daughter, Evaarah. Proud mamu, actor Ahan Shetty says the celebration feels “extra bright” this year.

“The last two years I wasn’t in Mumbai due to travel, but this year is different, it’s my niece’s first Diwali,” Ahan shares, adding, “There’s a lot more excitement because there are so many firsts. Unfortunately, Rahul is in Australia for India’s tour, but the rest of the family will be together.”

Ahan admits his little niece has become the centre of everyone’s attention. “She’s brought so much love and happiness. We already had that as a family, but it’s just amplified now with her around,” he says with a smile. On his new role as mamu, he adds, “I’ll be a mix of both, the fun one who pampers her and the slightly serious one when it comes to teaching her things.”

Watching his sister embrace motherhood has been a moving experience. “I see such a different side to Athiya now... so hands-on, nurturing and caring. Growing up, she was like a second mother to me, and now seeing her with her child makes me so proud. I’m also a bit relieved that all her protective energy has now shifted from me to Evaarah,” he laughs.

Currently filming Border 2, Ahan admits he’s on a strict diet but can’t resist festive treats. “I absolutely love motichoor laddoos. Even though I’m on a diet for the film, I allow myself some sweets during Diwali. It’s impossible to resist,” he says.

Reflecting on the meaning of Diwali, Ahan adds, “It’s about bringing in happiness, letting go of what’s past, and looking forward to what’s next. I’m in a phase where I’m reflecting on how far I’ve come and what lies ahead — this Diwali feels like the start of a new chapter.”

The arrival of Athiya Shetty's baby girl, Evaarah, has brought immense joy to the Shetty household, with Suniel Shetty wholeheartedly embracing his new role as a grandfather. The actor's eyes light up as he talks about the little bundle of joy, for the first time with us. "That's all Mana (Shetty, wife) and I were looking for. It is the best feeling in the world." he says.

As he settles into his new role, Suniel shares his thoughts on grandfatherhood. "It is a feeling of bliss. There couldn’t be a better or a bigger feeling than this. They always say, ‘Mul se sut pyaara (interest is far, far more exciting when you receive it compared to the capital).”

With his schedule now revolving around his grandchild, Suniel, who was recently seen in Nadaaniyan, talks about managing his time with the baby. "Life is not hectic. That's the way my life was always. I work and I come back home, and I do that with a lot more excitement now. I look forward to coming back home and spending time with Mana and the baby. The biggest excitement in my life now is that child. And now I want to do everything with my granddaughter that I probably missed out on with Athiya and my son Ahan because I was constantly working. I was on call 24X7 with my work. Of course, I manage my time to the best of my ability. But today I need to do more. Evaarah is Athiya 2.0 for me."

On the work front, Suniel is currently shooting for the third instalment of Hera Pheri. Ask him how it feels to reunite with Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal, and he says, “The beauty of that is that we never felt that it’s been 25 years. Shooting for it didn’t feel that 25 years have gone by. It's just that we are looking different and now we have different get ups, but otherwise, we're the same. Everybody is the same, right from the producer to the director. We are just going to miss Om Puri dearly. He was one of the pillars of Hera Pheri 1.”

The actor who reprises his role of Shyaam in the movie, doesn’t reveal much about the plot, but he adds, “Even when we were shooting, it didn’t seem like we were playing a character. Nobody else can play those characters.”

There were rumours of Kartik Aaryan stepping into Akshay’s shoes for the sequel. Bring that up and Suniel says, “Whoever else was coming in was never supposed to replace anybody. He was coming as a new character, but now the makers have gone back to the old script and it is Hera Pheri 10 times more fun”.